Midwest Brides Unite!

[QueenDiva]

Welcome Natalie, you are in the right place! Well, I don't have too much to add- these ladies are right on target. I agree, start with the budget first as this will dictate everything! Then decide if you want an AI or not. Let us know if you have any questions!

[AsiaJane]

Hello Ladies, My name is Asia and I am proud to represent the Midwest. I'm from Springfield, IL.  I am getting married June 11, 2011 at the Dreams Puerto Aventuras in Riviera Maya. I'm very excited to have found this forum!

[schmizer]

Welcome Asia! 

[TATrisha]

Welcome to the group Asia! 

Natalie, the girls are right on target.  Setting the venue was the hardest part for me.  I didn't even know if I wanted to get married in Mexico, Hawaii, or an island!  So I started comparing airfares to all of the places.  It was important to me that my family and friends be able to join us if they chose to do so, so I had to keep in mind their budget.  That quickly determined that Mexico was the way to go for our group for the time of year.  From there I made a check list of things that I wanted.

I wanted to get married ON the beach.

I wanted a family friendly resort.

I wanted an outdoor reception.

I wanted crystal blue waters.

I wanted to be close to attractions, but away from Cancun.

 

By making a list of the things that I (and when I say I, I mean we) wanted, it was easy to narrow down the resort choices.

[acireta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PVP2007 

 

My name is Natalie, and I came across you Midwest Brides while doing some research for what I hope to be an April 2012 destination wedding in St. Thomas. (just a few days before you, Erica!)

 

So, anyway, a little more about me:

I was born and raised outside Detroit in West Bloomfield (right next to Commerce, BeachBridein11 !) . After college (at WMU) I moved out to Chicagoland and have been here ever since! Well, the Western 'Burbs to be exact. (work in Lombard and live in South Elgin with my FI and our 2 cute kitties.) My FI (Jeff) owns his own business, and because we both work such crazy hours, I wonder if we will actually EVER get a date set and a wedding planned!!! 

 

Maybe this will be the push I need to really move past the 'research' phase and into 'planning' and decision mode. Any advice?!? :-)

Hey there! We're so close (I'm in Downers). Have you picked a location or coordinator yet? I always swear by Island Bliss Weddings. Janelle has the patience of a saint, but there are other really good WCs down there also.

 

At some point, I just had to say, OK enough research, let's just do it!! I would have made myself insane with the research, so we just booked and let the cards fall where they may. This is probably easier with a cruise wedding, it's just about the itinerary, ship and WC. Good luck with your choice!
 

 

Originally Posted by schmizer 

Oooohhh, and to all my Chicago ladies, I just had to say...

 

"GO PACK, GO!"

 

oh, you mean little thing, you!! LOL  

[AsiaJane]

 

Originally Posted by PVP2007 

 

Hi Ladies! What a fun thread!

 

My name is Natalie, and I came across you Midwest Brides while doing some research for what I hope to be an April 2012 destination wedding in St. Thomas. (just a few days before you, Erica!)

 

I have actually been engaged since October 9, 2009 ... but we got engaged as we were in the process of buying a house (which took MONTHS longer than expected!), and decided to put off starting the wedding planning till we were more settled in. 

 

Once we decided on a doing the whole destination thing, we wanted to make sure we gave people a lot of time to save - and us too! :-) - so we are now trying to plan for at least a year out. I had originally had my heart set on an October wedding ... but being hurricane season down in the islands, we decided that was probably not the best way to go! :-)  LOL

 

So, anyway, a little more about me:

I was born and raised outside Detroit in West Bloomfield (right next to Commerce, BeachBridein11 !) . After college (at WMU) I moved out to Chicagoland and have been here ever since! Well, the Western 'Burbs to be exact. (work in Lombard and live in South Elgin with my FI and our 2 cute kitties.) My FI (Jeff) owns his own business, and because we both work such crazy hours, I wonder if we will actually EVER get a date set and a wedding planned!!! 

 

Maybe this will be the push I need to really move past the 'research' phase and into 'planning' and decision mode. Any advice?!? :-)

Hey Natalie,

 

I agree with everyone else you have to just STOP researching and pick a place that meets your top needs.  I was like you. I couldnt pick a place b/c everywhere looked amazing. I read looked online, read reviews and contacted resorts. I did this for 2 months and all it did was made me more confused. One day a made a list of the things I wanted most that fit into my budget. I wanted something our family and friends could afford, that was all inclusive, family friendly, and had a wedding package. I went to 3 travel agents in 1 day. I told them what I wanted and they all gave me a list of places that they personally dealt with that would fit into my plan. That's how I came across the Dreams Puerto Aventuras, which is where I am getting married!!! I think being on this site will help you a lot. I wish I would have found it before I wasted so much time being confused  

[merrylee]

Yeah if I let my TA convince me I'd probably be getting married at a resort that I didn't ask about or know about.  She was so eager to sell it to me and I could feel her selling it, so I decided to stick with my original choice because it is where my heart was

[AsiaJane]

 

 

Originally Posted by merrylee 

 

Yeah if I let my TA convince me I'd probably be getting married at a resort that I didn't ask about or know about.  She was so eager to sell it to me and I could feel her selling it, so I decided to stick with my original choice because it is where my heart was

 

i felt the same way. thats why i went to a couple. I found my resort in a book one of the TAs gave me.  I liked the Dreams resorts in general so the hard part was narrowing down exactly which one. I chose that based on price.  I agree that TAs can be way too pushy

 

[merrylee]

yeah I was having a hard time choosing between Dreams and the Palace Resorts, we ended up choosing the Moon Palace because it offered so much to our guests and didn't limit them to spending every second with us if they chose not to

[QueenDiva]

Are any of you at work today? They actually closed my office today! But boo- since I'm salaried, I actually have to work from home while others get a paid day off-- so unfair!